diff --git a/include/kernel.h b/include/kernel.h
index 4aa6ebdddc5..ad281824a05 100644
--- a/include/kernel.h
+++ b/include/kernel.h
@@ -516,6 +516,12 @@ struct _thread_base {
 #endif
 
 	_wait_q_t join_waiters;
+#if __ASSERT_ON
+	/* For detecting calls to k_thread_create() on threads that are
+	 * already active
+	 */
+	atomic_t cookie;
+#endif
 };
 
 typedef struct _thread_base _thread_base_t;
diff --git a/kernel/sched.c b/kernel/sched.c
index b9c7e3b55b0..a5932070d24 100644
--- a/kernel/sched.c
+++ b/kernel/sched.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <kernel_internal.h>
 #include <logging/log.h>
+#include <sys/atomic.h>
 LOG_MODULE_DECLARE(os);
 
 /* Maximum time between the time a self-aborting thread flags itself
@@ -603,6 +604,9 @@ void z_thread_single_abort(struct k_thread *thread)
 		 * somewhat undefined behavoir. It must be safe to call
 		 * k_thread_create() or free the object at this point.
 		 */
+#if __ASSERT_ON
+		atomic_clear(&thread->base.cookie);
+#endif
 	}
 
 	if (fn_abort != NULL) {
diff --git a/kernel/thread.c b/kernel/thread.c
index 64ec7c50cb8..c0dada6619e 100644
--- a/kernel/thread.c
+++ b/kernel/thread.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include <irq_offload.h>
 #include <sys/check.h>
 #include <random/rand32.h>
+#include <sys/atomic.h>
 
 #define LOG_LEVEL CONFIG_KERNEL_LOG_LEVEL
 #include <logging/log.h>
@@ -515,6 +516,8 @@ static char *setup_thread_stack(struct k_thread *new_thread,
 	return stack_ptr;
 }
 
+#define THREAD_COOKIE	0x1337C0D3
+
 /*
  * The provided stack_size value is presumed to be either the result of
  * K_THREAD_STACK_SIZEOF(stack), or the size value passed to the instance
@@ -528,6 +531,15 @@ char *z_setup_new_thread(struct k_thread *new_thread,
 {
 	char *stack_ptr;
 
+#if __ASSERT_ON
+	atomic_val_t old_val = atomic_set(&new_thread->base.cookie,
+					  THREAD_COOKIE);
+	/* Must be garbage or 0, never already set. Cleared at the end of
+	 * z_thread_single_abort()
+	 */
+	__ASSERT(old_val != THREAD_COOKIE,
+		 "re-use of active thread object %p detected", new_thread);
+#endif
 	Z_ASSERT_VALID_PRIO(prio, entry);
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_USERSPACE